Has He Still Got it with Him?
As the illustrious Danny Ildefonso makes his long-awaited return to the Philippine Basketball Association on Friday for Converge, all eyes will be on him as he competes against Meralco in the opening game of a Governors’ Cup doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Today, March 3, on the PBA schedule, Converge will play Meralco.
The inclusion of Ildefonso, now 46 years old and a two-time Most Valuable Player, on the active roster of the FiberXers was a shocking move made on Thursday. It came eight years after the two-time MVP had retired from the game.
Prior to coming out of retirement, Ildefonso worked at Converge as a deputy for the head coach, Aldin Ayo.
Ildefonso is making his comeback in the match at 3 o’clock, which incidentally happens to be against Meralco, the team for which he played in his final game before hanging up his jersey in 2015.
It’s also interesting to take note that Ildefonso is playing with the rookies Justin Arana and Barkley Ebona, both of whom he mentored while at Converge.
It remains to be seen, though, how Ildefonso could enhance the bid of the FiberXers, who have secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a record of 6-3, but are looking to finish within the Top 4 to earn a twice-to-beat advantage over their remaining opponents.
Meralco is also striving for the same thing with a record of 5-4, even though its two-game winning streak was stopped when it suffered a 112-107 defeat at the hands of the defending champion Barangay Ginebra the most recent time.
Barangay Ginebra vs Phoenix
The Kings, who are in exclusive possession of the third place and with a record of 5-2, have set their sights on finishing in the top four of the standings when the eliminations are complete.
But, they will be going up against a Phoenix team that has been on a roll recently and is starting to show signs of life as the eliminations draw near.
The Fuel Masters are currently 4-5 and have improved their chances of securing one of the two remaining spots in the quarterfinals by winning their most recent three games.
A victory for Phoenix in their match scheduled for 5:45 p.m. will formally secure a spot for them in the quarterfinals and eliminate Rain or Shine (2-7) from contention.
